Charlottesville Violence and Trump’s Reaction Draw Criticism Abroad

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Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain criticized President Trump’s response to the violence in Charlottesville, Va., while she toured a new aircraft carrier on Wednesday.CreditCreditPool photo by Ben Stansall

A wide range of world leaders have condemned the violence in Charlottesville last weekend and sometimes sharply criticized President Trump, who said that some of the people marching with the white supremacist and neo-Nazi protesters were “very fine people.”

Many of these countries are American allies who are no stranger to anti-Semitism and far-right violence. From Britain and Germany to Israel and Iran, here is what political leaders around the world have said in the aftermath of the clashes in Charlottesville.

Britain

Prime Minister Theresa May criticized Mr. Trump on Wednesday for his contention that there were “very fine people” among both the protesters and counterprotesters who came to Charlottesville.

I see no equivalence between those who propound fascist views and those who oppose them. I think it is important for all those in positions of responsibility to condemn far-right views wherever we hear them.

Other leaders in her Conservative Party went further, including Sajid Javid, a member of Ms. May’s cabinet, and Ruth Davidson, the party’s leader in Scotland. Both were harsh in their criticism of the president.

Germany

“It is racist, far-right violence and clear, forceful action must be taken against it, regardless of where in the world it happens,” she said.

But Ms. Merkel, who has criticized the Trump administration in recent days for its approach to North Korea, did not directly criticize the president. She said Germany — where the memory of Nazism looms large — should focus on its own far-right movement.

“Before we point our fingers at others, we need to take care of that which is happening at home,” Ms. Merkel said. Speaking about the United States, she added: “Of course that country is torn, but what needs to be condemned is any form of violence, especially any forms of extreme or aggressive violence.”

The Vatican

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After the violence in Charlottesville, Va., Pope Francis criticized those who “have to treat others badly to feel important.”

CreditClaudio Peri/European Pressphoto Agency

On Sunday, Pope Francis posted a tweet that Vatican observers viewed as a commentary on the violence in Charlottesville.

The pope has been a harsh critic of the president and said during the presidential campaign that Mr. Trump’s policy on a border wall was “not Christian.” Last month a Vatican-approved journal said conservative American Catholics who supported Mr. Trump had joined an alliance of “hate.”

Italy

Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni condemned the violence in Charlottesville in a Twitter post written in Italian. “The condemnation of violence in Virginia unites the entire world,” he said. “Racist hatred will not prevail.”

Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, but was himself criticized at home for failing to do so more quickly, according to National Public Radio.

Mr. Netanyahu is a fierce defender of Israel and has robustly condemned anti-Semitism in the past, but he waited three days to release a statement about violence instigated in part by swastika-waving Nazis and others chanting anti-Semitic slogans.

Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, was more assertive. It said in a statement on Sunday that it was “very concerned by the images, hateful rhetoric, and subsequent violence” in Charlottesville.

In our post-Holocaust global society, there is no room for racism or anti-Semitism. The anti-Jewish ideology of the Nazis was a precursor to the eventual murderous policy and extermination of six million Jews. These images are yet another reminder that we must remain vigilant about educating the public regarding hatred and xenophobia.

Iran

Iran’s leaders frequently use Twitter to troll their enemies, most notably the United States, and this week was no different.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, tweeted on Wednesday that the United States should focus more on addressing white supremacy and not “meddle” in the affairs of other nations.

Iran and the United States have not had diplomatic relations since 1979 but have locked horns in recent years over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and support for the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.